Only 16
by unusualcover
Summary: When two teenagers meet at random, will they get together, and stay together? Or when she is approached my a two federal agents, will her new obligation ruin everything.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Alex is my favorite name. Alex is the name of the man I love. He is amazing, no that word doesn't even come close to describing him. He is the most intelligent, kind, caring, outgoing, and fun man I've ever known.

We met when we were just 16, neither of us were sure of ourselves, but we were sure of each other. He was just moving into the neighborhood and I was on my daily jog. I saw him and his family unloading boxes from a moving van, I saw him before he saw me, but he didn't know that.

When I came near him running by, I made eye contact and gave him a little smile. He stepped right in my path and was trying to pin me with his stare. I stopped jogging and pulled my headphones out of my ears.

He said hi and that his name was Alex, then he picked one of my earphones up and put it to his ear. "Nickelback? Really?"

"Hey, I like Nickelback! Oh, and my name's Amanda by the way." He was so intense, staring in my eyes the entire time. Then he held out his hand for me to shake, I did, but not before I picked on him. "Nostalgic fellow we have here I see." He smiled looked down at his feet and back up at me. His eyes were the most beautiful blue, bright blue. His smile was so endearing, yet so teasing. His blond, longish, messy hair was all over, but I liked it.

I had taken to him already, and that's when I knew I was forever in trouble.

I started jogging again, right past him. As I was putting my headphones back in, he yelled to me. "You're leaving?" I yelled back that I had a run to finish. "Wait! How am I supposed to get a hold of you?"

I looked back, "I guess you'll just have to think of something!" and I just kept running. I knew that it would just drive him crazy, and I liked it.

After my run that day I went home and I took a shower. Both of my parents were home when I got back, when I left they were both gone so I left a note. I lay in bed that night just going over that moment in my head over and over again. His face burned an image into my head, one that I couldn't get out, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

I ran the exact same route at the exact same time the next day. I was hoping so much that he would catch on and come outside and stand in my path again. I know I only met him yesterday and barely exchanged two words with the guy, but I felt like I knew him. It was crazy but I did.

I was running by his house, trying not to look like I was staring desperately at his house hoping he'd come out, which I of course was doing. I ran by his house. Nothing.

But he came running up behind me, Nike shorts and running shoes and everything. "Hey so is this the only way I'm ever going to be able to see you?" He looked over at me with this sexy little smirk on his face. "'Cause I would really like it if I could see you outside of running down my road."

"Well, maybe." I looked to my left at him, "_If_ you stop picking on my music." I smiled back at him.

"Ok, I can work with that. But, _you_ have to promise that you will give me your number this time instead of just running away torturing me because I didn't even know if I'd ever even see you again." He was so straightforward, so unafraid; it made me want to be too.

At the time I couldn't believe that this guy, whom I had just met the day before, cared enough to want to get to know me, to do this.

"You know, I have never met a guy like you." I paused trying to make sure I could say what I really wanted to. "And I like a guy like you."

"So, you like _me_?" He had that smirk on his face again.

"Now, did I say that." It wasn't a question. But I copied that sassy smirk and plastered it to my face, just so he would know that I could play too. We were flirting already, I knew from the moment that I met Alex that he and I would have a story, and this, was just the beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

We continued running for awhile, no words, just thoughts and the sound of our feet pounding the pavement as we raced each other. When we came alongside a cutout in the green on our right we stopped and sat on the rocks by the river. The place was not very appealing looking, but it was a spot, and after that first stop, it was _our_ spot.

We sat on the same rock, not close to each other, but not far away at all. We took a second to catch our breaths. "You run this route every day?" He hadn't looked up to ask me but the question seemed more quizzical that casual.

"Yeah, I do, not always at the same time though. On the weekends I run in the afternoon or if I know that I will be home early I do. Otherwise I usually go for my run in the morning. "When I first saw you, you were unpacking with your family. Why'd you move here?" I wondered if I was pushing with that question but I doubted it.

"Well, my mom wanted me, my brother, and my sister to experience life and schooling in a small area. She was from a small town like this one, and just thought that we were missing out."

"And what do you think, were you missing out?" I could tell this conversation was getting more personal than I had ever intended it to. This time he looked at me.

"When my mom told me we were gonna move here, I was pissed," he half grinned. "But then I saw you running toward my house and suddenly," his voice changed, he sounded happier, "It got better." He smiled and looked at me, I remember thinking how god damn screwed I was. His eyes literally sparkled, like a dumb cliché they did.

I felt myself smile too, I don't know if my eyes sparkled, I kind of hope they didn't. He scooted closer to me on the rock, I did too. I said, "I've lived here for a long time, but the day that I saw you, my life perked up too." He leaned into me and we kissed.

It wasn't a little twelve year old peck, but it wasn't an oh-my-god-get-my-clothes-off-faster devouring. It was right in the middle.

"So does this mean I get to see you again?" He was smiling and I found I couldn't stop smiling either.

"Yes, you'll see me again." I felt the heat rush to my face as I answered, I looked down at the ground so he wouldn't see.

"What's your story? Family, friends, sports, how many people you've killed?" I laughed and so did he, he had an amazing laugh, I felt like a giddy little school girl.

"Well I have a mom, step-dad, and three brothers. The family is really complicated. My best friends are all in college, and the people in my classes are immature and pretty much just plain stupid, so I don't hang out with them. Oh, and if I told you how many people I've killed I'd have to kill you too, and I don't want to do that. What's your story?"

"My mom is a nurse, my dad isn't in the picture, I have an older brother Tyler, and a younger sister, Natalie. All my friends are back home in Georgia, except for you," he smiled at me. "I play basketball and tennis, and don't laugh at me about the tennis thing, most girls do." I just smiled at him incredulous. "What?" He looked so confused.

"You play tennis? Seriously? Me too!" I was still really surprised, the look on his face said that he was too. Never in a million years would I have expected this, but I wasn't sure then if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Later, I learned that it was both. It unified and divided us, this one sport involving a racquet and a neon ball where we put every ounce of everything we had channeled into one single activity.

"Okay Alex, so tell me something else mind blowing about you that I should know."

"Uhh, well, I hate sushi, love animals, I would rather be outside having fun than inside any day, and computers hate me. You?"

"It would be easier to tell you the foods that I do like because there are less of those than the food I don't, I can be outside or inside, alone or with people, I'm happy either way. I am more technologically inclined than anything else. And while I said that I can be happy alone, I'd rather be with the person I care about."

"Alright then, I can handle that. So why don't we play a game?" He had this mischievous grin on his face. "We'll each say a word and the other will say what first comes to their mind. Okay?"

"Okay, you go first." I didn't know if I was creative enough for this game but I'd try.

He took a second to think first then said. "Family."

"Complicated, alcohol?" I was truly curious about this one.

"Self-restraint, drinking is fine but you have to do it responsibly, yeah, yeah, cliché I know." He rolled his eyes with a half smile. "Drugs?"

"Stupid, completely utterly pointless, recreational drug use is something I have a past with, with one of best friends, and I hate it. Well, I guess I only really hate it when people let it change who they are, but I would never be involved with someone who did drugs or smoked, I just couldn't."

I knew I'd said too much, he would probably run away as fast as he could from me. God what was wrong with me? After I stopped reprimanding myself I looked at his face and saw that he was… I don't know how to explain the look on his face. It was a mix of disbelief and confusion.

"This friend, he was very important to you wasn't he?"

I jerked my head towards his to look at him. "How did you know it was a guy?" What? How could he have known, I don't think most girls have guy best friends, straight ones anyway? But what would I know about most girls, I've never really hung out with girls. Only two, both whom did not act like most girls. One smoked weed, and was three years older than me, but the weed did not change her personality, did not make her into a bad person. That's why I was still friends with her. The other never smoked or drank and was a senior in a different high school.

"I didn't, you just told me that he was." I had caught him off guard.

"Why didn't you assume the friend was a girl?" Why was I even getting into this? Was I just paranoid, or could he read me that well?

"I—I don't know just the way you were talking about it made it seem more personal than if it was just a friend."

I possessed that for a minute. I didn't want to continue on with this topic. "Okay," I cleared my throat. "umm, back to the game." I stopped and shook my head to try and clear the thoughts out of my mind. "Actually, let's play a different game, the question game. We ask the other a question and just keep going, not that it really needed an explanation." I felt myself getting embarrassed and looking at the ground again.

"I'll start. What else do you like besides tennis?" Already I could tell he was a good guy, trying to make me feel not so embarrassed, and dropping conversations when he knew I didn't want to talk about them.

"Every weekend I go to the motocross races. Oh shit!" I stood up off the rock with a start remembering.

"What, what's wrong?" I turned and saw that he was right there by my side concern washing over his face.

"Neither of my parents are home, I only left a note, so if I don't get back soon, things are going to hit the metaphorical fan. I'll probably get grounded which means I wouldn't be able to sneak out to come see you." I took a step closer to him. "Race ya!" Then I took off running.

Again our race was back and forth and inconclusive. When we arrived at the front of Alex's house we were both completely out of breath, there was a very steep hill on the way to his house before it crested and went flat. "Alex," I had to stop and breathe in between. "Do you have your phone with you?"

He smiled, and then said he'd be right back then ran into the house and back out. "Now I do. So, this means I get your number." He said it matter-of-factly.

"Yes it does." I laughed. I gave him my number and then he surprised me by grabbing me around the waist and kissed me. We were both smiling. "Wow, definitely can't complain." I sighed. "I have to go."

"Do you prefer texts or calls? We'll probably be doing both anyway but just so that I know."

"All depends on the environment I'm in. Text first then ask if it's okay to call."

"Okay, bye." He let me go and I turned around to start running again when he pulled me back and kissed me goodbye, again.

I laughed. "I really gotta go." I escaped from his arms and put my headphones in and ran home.

When I got home my parents still weren't there, they had a meeting about an hour away. I threw away the note then fed my dogs and cat. Then, I went to my room and pulled my phone off the charger, I had a few messages and one missed call.

The call was from my mom and one of the texts too, she asked me if I wanted her to bring anything home, they were stopping for dinner. Another was from someone asking me if I wanted to come to a party at their house. The last was from a number I didn't recognize, the message read, "Hey, it's Alex." I saved the number into my phone. Wow, straight forward, and really kind of boring.

I contemplated whether or not I should text him right now, or let him wait. Either way I needed a shower, so I walked to the bathroom and got in. I brought my phone and turned the music to shuffle. I was rinsing out the shampoo when the music died down and my ringtone for a text message went off.

I rinsed the shampoo then checked my phone. It was from Alex, he asked if I got home okay. I texted back saying "Yup, all good."

I finished my shower and went back to room. I got dressed and turned on my TV. My phone was blinking. I checked it and I had another text from Alex. After that we continued texting until my parents got home, it was really late. When they did I went out and said hi, my mom handed me mozzarella sticks, I said thank you and took them back to my room. I ate them went and back to texting Alex. We texted until we both fell asleep, phones in our hands.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I woke up to the sound of my phone. It was Alex, telling me good morning beautiful. He was so sweet and so actually kind of annoying. He was really nice but he needed to tone it down a little. Last night we talked about anything and everything. He wasn't sure what school he wanted to go to when school returned in the fall.

That was about a month away. We were in the Avoca school district, but that's not where I've went to school for the past seven years, but I went to Avoca for four years before that. Now I got to Hammondsport because that's where my mom works, and my brothers were stupid but that's not important right now.

Alex's older brother, Tyler, was a senior that year and could drive all three of them to school, and next year when Tyler was gone, Alex could. I wasn't sure then if I even wanted Alex and I at the same school. I've always told myself never to date someone from my own school.

Of course I broke my own rule freshman year; I really shouldn't have because he was a complete douche bag. He was so mean to everyone, he was new that year so I didn't know that yet but I should have. I stayed with him for three months after breaking up with him twice. The second time I was really done. He had two half brothers that were twins in my class, they were actually nice guys, he, however, was an ass.

Hammondsport was a better school in every way, teachers, students, academics, and sports. So I should want him and his family to go to Hammondsport, but I don't know.

I planned on going over to Alex's today. His mom would be at work all day and only his siblings would be home.

I took a shower and kept texting Alex all throughout. After I was out I called him and we talked until he and his brother came to pick me up.

When we got back to their house Natalie was sitting on the couch watching TV. I could see her long brown hair up in a pony tail with a neon pink hair tie securing it. She turned at the sound of us walking in. I smiled and said hi, Alex introduced us.

There were boxes everywhere; they obviously hadn't finished unpacking yet. "Sorry about all the boxes, we have a lot of stuff." Alex apologized.

"That's fine, I get it. I'll help you unpack." He was surprised at my offer.

"You sure? I was just gonna have us hang out."

"Yeah, we can do both." I smiled then stepped closer to him and whispered, "Plus maybe it'll get me off to a good start of your mom liking me." He rolled his eyes, I was confused.

"You won't need any help with that, she'll like you."

"Good. Now, where do we start?" He still couldn't believe it. He was just staring at me in disbelief; I moved my head to see if it would get his attention. It did, he shook his head, waking up from staring.

"Uhh, let's start in the kitchen." He led me through the living room, his house was very open, you stepped into the living room first, the dining room was in the same area just off to the right side.

Continuing straight you went into the kitchen, there was a huge open arch connecting the kitchen to the living room. Off to the left when you walked in was the stairs leading to the second floor.

The kitchen had top cupboards lining two walls; there was an overhead microwave above the stovetop. There were two wall ovens in the wall on the left. The fridge was on the other side of the ovens. The top of the small trapezoidal island was covered in boxes, as was most of the floor.

We unpacked boxes of plates, cups, bowls, pans, and utensils. Alex and I had most of the kitchen unpacked in a couple hours. But within those two hours there was more than just packing, there was a lot of flirting; there was some getting to know each other, some kissing, who knew unpacking could be so fun.

Next we returned to the living room and unpacked everything for that room. There were countless family photos. Ones of each of them growing up, group shots of them from when they were little, Alex was a really cute kid. Natalie filled the role of embarrassing him since their mom wasn't there.

Natalie and I formed an alliance the first day we met. I was really worried about her hating me. I liked most of my brother's girlfriends when I was her age but I did hate a few of them. But we weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, not yet anyway.

With their being so many family photos there were none of his dad, when we met he told me it was just him and his mom and his siblings, but for their dad to not be in any of the photos? I was curious but I wasn't going to ask. It wasn't my place.

While unpacking the things in the living room we came across a couple of board games. Natalie saw _Madgab_ and wanted to play. We split into teams of two. Alex suggested me and him versus Tyler and Natalie.

"Girls against boys!" Natalie yelled. I looked at Natalie and gave her a high five.

"Girls are always the winners." I staged whispered to her. Alex and Tyler just looked at me, I looked back. "What? You're scared of a couple of little girls?" I mocked.

Alex leaned across the table with his arms in front of him, I copied him. "All right let's do this." It was some not so subtle flirting. We shook hands. "It's on."

"If only we had some competition." I looked him right in the eye, and then glanced over to Natalie where she was laughing so hard her face was beet red. Tyler was just snickering trying to not let us see he was laughing. It didn't work.

The directions weren't in the box so we made up our own rules. Natalie and I went first, one of the boys held up the card to Natalie while I sat perpendicular so that I couldn't see the words on the front or the answer on the back.

"Her Wreath of Rank Lynne." She said it first slowly then sped up as she read it over and over again.

"Aretha Franklin!" Another high five was in order.

Alex confirmed my answer, "How did you understand that?"

"You should really have more faith, you're sisters good."

"So are you!" Natalie was jumping up and down. "You're guys' turn!"

Alex was guessing and Tyler was reading the card. "Hat Land Tough All Cons," he continued to read the words the same way Natalie did and Alex got the answer of Atlanta Falcons.

We kept playing for about a half hour until their mom walked in getting home from work. We were so wrapped up in the game that we didn't even realize when she walked in.

"Mommy!" We all turned in unison, surprised at her entrance. Alex stood up, well more like jumped up. He looked kind of scared

"Hi, mom." This was awkward. I stood up and walked over to her. I smiled and stuck out my hand.

"Hi, Mrs. Fields, I'm Amanda." No one else was going to take control of this situation. "Alex and I met a couple days ago."

"Yes, you were running by our house." I smiled and nodded my acknowledge. "Well hello Amanda, and please, call me Nancy." She was very friendly; Alex must not have much experience with his mom meeting girls he likes.

"We're playing girls against boys at _Madgab. _Me and Amanda are winning!"

"That's great honey, but its Amanda and I. Wow, you guys got a lot unpacked today! And here I thought you'd just sit around and watch T.V. all day." She swiveled her head around looking at the bottom floor of the house, then she walked in to the kitchen to see the extent of what we'd done there.

"Yeah, it was actually Amanda's idea to unpack, she wanted to help." Alex finally spoke up.

"Oh really?" She looked at Alex then to me then back to him. "I think I like this Amanda, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I would, I really would, but my parents should be getting home from work soon, and I promised them I'd be home."

"Oh that's too bad, some other time then."

"Definitely." I was doing my best to make her like me. Non-stop smiling and just doing everything I knew to make her like me.

Tyler spoke for the first time since his mother had gotten home, "I can drive you back." It was an offer that meant no more than just helping out his brother.

"That's okay Tyler, I'll walk her home." He looked at me with a question of _is that good with you?_ I nodded to tell I'm yes. "Let's go then." He looked at me and held out his hand for me to take.

"It was really nice to meet you guys! Nancy I will definitely be over for dinner sometime." Natalie ran over to give me a hug. "Girls always win huh?" The ten year old came up to my waist, which made kind of an awkward hug but oh well. This little girl was so adorable and sweet, if Alex and I didn't work out, I would definitely miss her.

Alex and I walked down the road hand in hand, silent at first until he leaned against me and whispered, "I have a confession to make, I like you." He was such a dork, but I liked it.

I turned to him and before he knew my lips were on his. "I like you too." I could feel the smile on both or lips as we kissed again. A car going by honked. Our lips broke apart but we didn't, we were laughing when we started walking again.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked.

"I don't know. Why, whatya have planned?" We were still holding hands, we were about a quarter mile away from my house.

"Tomorrow, the summer recreation program at my school starts, and I volunteer as a counselor. So I was gonna go for a run in the morning, you want to run with me?"

He leaned into me again and whispered, "I'd rather run away with you." I laughed and fake pushed him. "Yeah, what time?"

"I was thinking maybe five? Meet at your house then go down to the fishing hole and back." I looked at him hopefully, with puppy dog eyes to try even harder.

"Stop looking at me like that!" I was laughing again now. "Yes, you didn't even need to use that," he fumbled for the right word. "Look." He wasn't mad, just flirtatiously flustered. It was cute.

"Ahaha, now I know how to get to you." He grabbed me around the waist and hugged me, then started tickling me.

"Oh, yeah, now I know how to get to you too." We were laughing. "We'll meet at five, how about at the bottom of the hill to my house. There's gotta be another way to the fishing hole going around the hill?"

"Yeah, there is, we'll go that way then."

"It's a date."

When we got to my house my parents weren't home yet, thank god. We said our goodbyes, more than just _saying_ goodbye, if you know what I mean. Then he went back home and I went in my house and watched T.V. until my parents got home.

I've known Alex what, three days, and already we're acting like this, I should tell Alex that we need to slow it down, but I didn't know if I wanted to slow it down.

An uneventful night proceeded; I can't say the same for the next morning.


End file.
